From Wendy's Worker to Yale Scholar: Brazilian Immigrant Wins $194,500 Scholarship

Thalles Winner DeSouza, a 23-year-old Brazilian immigrant, has earned a full scholarship worth over $194,500 to study at Yale University. His path to the Ivy League began after surviving a shooting in Brazil, following which he relocated to the United States. While pursuing his education at a community college, DeSouza supported himself by working at Wendy's, where his managers helped finance three years of his studies. He later transferred institutions and secured admission to Yale, where he intends to major in political science and human rights on a pre-law track.